Firearm bores require regular cleaning. One method of cleaning is to put a cleaning solvent or solution on an absorbent piece of cloth, also called a patch, and pull the cloth through the bore of the gun barrel using a long rod. Care must be taken when cleaning the bore. Letting a cleaning rod touch the inside of the bore can cause damage such as scratches. Damage to the muzzle or crown of the gun barrel can cause a loss of accuracy. Therefore, many authorities suggest that a gun barrel should only be cleaned by pulling the patch from the chamber of the barrel toward the muzzle. Likewise, it is common practice to only insert cleaning rods into the chamber of the gun barrel and not the muzzle.